Panini giving collectors a voice for special 2011-12 basketball insert set

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By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor

Have you wanted the trading card companies to hear your ideas? Or help with the creative process in one of its product lines?

Most collectors out there have had plenty of thoughts from time to time on how to make something better or an idea for a new great product. As passionate fans of trading cards, collectors have wanted to see the best each company has to offer, and collectors certainly have their opinions.

Now, Panini America is offering a chance for collectors to be heard in a unique way. They want to know what basketball fans want and they asking about it right now.

Collectors have an opportunity to add all the ingredients to a 20-card subset for 2011-12 Hoops Basketball, which is set to release in September.

“It’s something we really felt strongly about implementing to give collectors even more of a voice in our products,,” Panini spokesperson Tracy Hackler said. “No one knows better than them what they to spend their hard-earned money on and they need to know what they want matters to us.”

Panini wants input on everything, so don’t be shy.

Panini wants collectors to vote on theme, name, checklist and design for the insert set.

“We are thrilled to see what collectors come up with;l just ecstatic,” Hackler said. “They’ve longed helped us shape and improve our products with feedback and criticism. This time, they have a set to call their very own.”

After this project is complete, collectors will then get a chance to chase a set they had direct input in creating.

Each week on Panini’s blog, they will offer a different topic to vote on. This week is starting with the theme, which includes such topics as Legends, Up-and-comers, Dunkers, Top Defenders, NBA Champions and so on. There are 16 categories and even a write-in vote, so if you have an idea that you like but you don’t see it listed, you can throw in your idea.

“Here in the social networking revolution, it’s easier now more than ever to get lots of great, candid feedback in a short amount of time — and we wanted to use that feedback to provide collectors with a unique oppotunity to help us build a set from scratch,” Hackler added.

Mountain dew did this a while back. Said they wanted consumers to pick a new flavor. When it came down to it, the consumer only had a vote in some pre determined flavors that they invented. Didn’t even care what we really wanted. I hope this turns out different than just a marketing ploy. If they do listen, then i say to make lower numbered cards. Im tired of getting a pretty much worthless /299 or even /499 and dont even try to give me a /999. There is no need for 499 Toney Douglas or JR Giddens autos. And we also have enough jersey cards. I would like to see more patches. My jerseys are becoming more like my base……worthless.

Idea: All cards are in portrait view, no landscape. At the top is the players name in the foil color or their team away jersey (NO PARALLELS) on one line, not wrapped. Just underneath is a picture of the players face (either smiling, or intense). Below the head is the shape of a jersey, but it’s part of a logoman. Below that is cutouts for shorts with the laundry tag from the shorts. Below that is a pair of shoes with swatches from their shoes. In their hand is a piece of a ball. The player writes their number on the ball. Below the shoes is their ON CARD Autograph (Silver marker). If possible, arms and legs can be photoshopped in.

Design: Black background with a greyed out watermark of the teams logo behind the player as large as can be. Have no preference on the back as long as it includes some personal/professional information, not just the “You’ve received…”